1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic detecting element and, more particularly, to a magnetic detecting element for detecting an external magnetic field by utilizing a magnetic impedance effect.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although the recent magnetic sensor has become diversified with rapid development of an information equipment or a measuring/controlling equipment, miniaturization and high precision of the magnetic sensor are expected in the future. In the field of a magnetic head, a digital magnetic recording equipment is miniaturized. For example, in a hard disk drive serving as an external storage device of a computer or a digital compact cassette recorder (DCC) serving as a digital audio equipment, since an S/N ratio decreases due to decreases in track width and relative speed in a conventional induction type magnetic head, a magnetoresistive effect element (to be referred to as an MR element hereinafter) is used as a reproducing head. However, the MR element has no speed dependency of a medium, and is suitable for output extraction at a low speed, but the MR element has a resistance change rate of only several %. For this reason, development of a higher-sensitivity element is demanded for high-density integration in the future.
In the field of a sensor such as a magnetic encoder, a magnetic flux leaking outside becomes externally small by decreasing a magnetizing pitch of an adhered magnetic material, and low sensitivity poses a problem even in an MR element.
Recently, a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance (to be referred to as MI hereinafter) effect disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. Hei 6-281712 has attracted attention. This uses the following phenomenon. That is, a high-frequency current of an MHz band flows in a wire made of magnetic material, and magnetization in a state where the magnetic domain wall of circular magnetization does not easily move is rotated by applying an external magnetic field, thereby largely changing permeability. A change in permeability causes a change in impedance.
Merits of such an element are as follows. That is, the element is free from the influence of a diamagnetic field because the element does not excite in the longitudinal direction of a magnetic material, and is suitable for miniaturization because the length of the element can be shortened to be about 1 mm or less. The element obtains a high resolution of flux detection of 10xe2x88x925 [Oe], while an MR element obtains a low resolution of flux detection of 0.1 [Oe]. In addition, while an MR element obtains an amount of change in impedance of about 3%, the element utilizing the MI effect obtains a several 10%-order change in impedance.
Since the element utilizing the MI effect has an impedance whose inductance component largely changes, the element is incorporated as an inductor L of a Colpitts oscillator shown in FIG. 1 or a multivibrator oscillator shown in FIG. 2. In that instance, a change in inductance caused by an external magnetic field is converted by amplitude modulation, and is then outputted after being subjected to frequency detection.
The functions of the element utilizing the MI effect have been found in an amorphous wire. The amorphous wire has excellent productivity as a material. However, when the amorphous wire is applied to a magnetic sensor, if the wire has a circular section having a diameter of several 10 microns, the wire cannot be easily handled.
More specifically, since the wire has the circular end portion having a several 10 microns with respect to a recording medium having a recording wavelength of several microns or less, the element cannot absorb a flux due to a shaping loss at the end portion. In addition, since the wire having a diameter of several 10 microns can be easily bent, handling such as alignment of elements cannot be easily performed.
For this reason, if a magnetic detecting element utilizing the MI effect can be constituted by a thin film, the element can be suitable for miniaturization because the thickness, width, and length on the substrate can be freely selected. However, in order to constitute the element by a thin film, the following points are required.
1) An MI effect which has quality higher than that of an amorphous wire is obtained.
2) The element has static characteristics (high Q (quality factor) value) so that the element can be incorporated in an oscillation circuit.
This invention aims to provide a magnetic detecting element in which the above conditions can be achieved, magnetic detection can be performed by an MI effect such that the main body of the element is constituted by a thin film, and performance higher than that of an element constituted by an amorphous wire and handling easier than that of the element constituted by the amorphous wire can be attained.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect comprising a non-magnetic substrate, a high-permeability magnetic film formed on the non-magnetic substrate and having magnetic anisotropy in a predetermined direction in a plane of the magnetic film, applying means for applying a high-frequency current across two points in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic anisotropy, and output means for converting a change in impedance generated between the two points into -an electric signal and outputting the electric signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic detecting element is constituted by forming a substantially rectangular high-permeability magnetic film on a non-magnetic substrate, the high-permeability magnetic film is arranged to have a longitudinal direction along an applying direction of an external magnetic field to be detected and to have magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in a plane of the high-permeability magnetic film, a high-frequency current is applied to the high-permeability magnetic film from both end portions thereof in the longitudinal direction, and a change in impedance generated by the external magnetic field between both the end portions of the high-permeability magnetic film in the longitudinal direction is converted into an electric signal to obtain an output.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic detecting element is constituted by stacking on a non-magnetic substrate, as layers in order from below, a high-permeability magnetic film, an insulating film and a conductive film which each have a substantially rectangular shape, each of the respective layers of the high-permeability magnetic film, the insulating film and the conductive film is arranged to have a longitudinal direction along an applying direction of an external magnetic field to be detected, the high-permeability magnetic film has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in a plane of the high-permeability magnetic film, a high-frequency current is applied to the conductive film from both end portions thereof in the longitudinal direction, and a change in impedance generated by the external magnetic field between both the end portions of the conductive film in the longitudinal direction is converted into an electric signal to obtain an output.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic detecting element is constituted by stacking on a non-magnetic substrate, as layers in order from below, a high-permeability magnetic film and a conductive film which each have a substantially rectangular shape, each of the respective layers of the high-permeability magnetic film and the conductive film is arranged to have a longitudinal direction along an applying direction of an external magnetic field to be detected, the high-permeability magnetic film has an electric resistivity considerably higher than that of the conductive film and has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in a plane of the high-permeability magnetic film, a high-frequency current is applied to the conductive film from both end portions thereof in the longitudinal direction, and a change in impedance generated by the external magnetic field between both the end portions of the conductive film in the longitudinal direction is converted into an electric signal to obtain an output.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic detecting element is constituted by forming a high-permeability magnetic film on a non-magnetic substrate, the high-permeability magnetic film is formed to have a zigzag pattern having a plurality of straight portions along a magnetic field detection direction which are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals and interconnected to be sequentially folded and to be electrically connected in series with each other, and has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to the magnetic field detection direction in a plane of the high-permeability magnetic film, a high-frequency current is applied from both end portions of the high-permeability magnetic film, and a change in impedance generated by an external magnetic field between both the end portions of the high-permeability magnetic film is converted into an electric signal to obtain an output.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic detecting element utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic detecting element is constituted by stacking on a non-magnetic substrate, as layers in order from below, a first high-permeability magnetic film, a first insulating film, a conductive film, a second insulating film and a second high-permeability magnetic film, at least one of the first and second high-permeability magnetic films has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is perpendicular to a magnetic field detection direction in a plane of the at least one of the first and second high-permeability magnetic films, the conductive film is formed to have a zigzag pattern having a plurality of straight portions along the magnetic field detection direction which are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals and interconnected to be sequentially folded and to be electrically connected in series with each other, a high-frequency current is applied from both end portions of the conductive film, and a change in impedance generated by an external magnetic field between both the end portions of the conductive film is converted into an electric signal to obtain an output.
In addition, as the application of the above magnetic detecting element, there is provided a magnetic head for reproduction utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic head is constituted by forming first and second high-permeability magnetic films on a surface, of a non-magnetic substrate having an end surface formed as a magnetic recording medium sliding surface, substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface, the first high-permeability magnetic film is formed to have a zigzag pattern having a plurality of straight portions along a direction perpendicular to the sliding surface which are arranged at a distance from the sliding surface and in parallel at predetermined intervals and interconnected to be sequentially folded and to be electrically connected in series with each other, and has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is substantially parallel to the sliding surface in a plane of the first high-permeability magnetic film, the second high-permeability magnetic film is formed to overlap folded portions of the zigzag pattern of the first high-permeability magnetic film on the side of the sliding surface through an insulating film and to extend up to the sliding surface, a high-frequency current is applied from both end portions of the first high-permeability magnetic film, and a change in impedance generated between both the end portions of the first high-permeability magnetic film by a magnetic field applied from a magnetic recording medium to the first high-permeability magnetic film through the second high-permeability magnetic film is converted into an electric signal to obtain a reproduction output.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a magnetic head for reproduction utilizing a magnetic impedance effect, characterized in that the magnetic head is constituted by forming, as layers in order from below, a first high-permeability magnetic film, a first insulating film, a conductive film, a second insulating film and a second high-permeability magnetic film on an upper surface, of a non-magnetic substrate having an end surface formed as a magnetic recording medium sliding surface, substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface, at least one of the first and second high-permeability magnetic films has magnetic anisotropy such that an easy direction of magnetization is substantially parallel to the sliding direction in a plane of the at least one of the first and second high-permeability magnetic films, the first high-permeability magnetic film has an end portion exposed to the sliding surface, the conductive film is formed to have a zigzag pattern having a plurality of straight portions along a direction substantially perpendicular to the sliding surface which are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals and interconnected to be sequentially folded and to be electrically connected in series with each other, a high-frequency current is applied from both end portions of the conductive film, and a change in impedance generated between both the end portions of the conductive film by a magnetic field from a magnetic recording medium is converted into an electric signal to obtain a reproduction output.
The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments thereof taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.